It was a routine antenatal visit at UNTH in my 3rd trimester
last year, but the nurse ushered me in hurriedly to see the consultant ahead of
the women before me. A blood pressure up to 150mmHg which she rechecked now
reading 170mmHg alarmed her. The doctor joked with me, but the resident got an
even higher reading of 200mmHg. When he
got 220mmHg he insisted on my immediate admission refusing even that I stand;
I was promptly wheeled into the ward.
And so began the battle with hypertension, swollen legs and proteinuria.
Despite medication for over a week on bed rest it hardly went down, and when
Christmas was approaching my husband requested a transfer to Prof Ikeme’s
private facility. About my 37th week when we met him he wondered why
no one had assessed the baby by ultrasound and sent me off to a scan centre in
New Haven. Surprisingly the scan lasted well over 30minutes. My curiosity was
aroused. I peeped at the report which said the fetal heart rate was zero and
the liquor scanty. My husband is a doctor in UNTH; I knew that was bad news.
Ikeme received the report, re-examined me and informed us the baby was indeed
dead and a caesarian section was urgently needed. Oh God! I had dreamt where I didn’t awake from surgery had in this
pregnancy!
My husband sent prayer requests by texts as I was prepared for surgery
for 2pm; a woman having already been taken in for surgery. “Baby!” my husband
called me. A sister in reply to his text said God revealed to her I must avoid
the surgery; that the baby was alive. Acting on faith we fled to her place with
me still in the theatre wrapper. “This baby shall be born in due time without
need for intervention.” She said. Over
the next few days my faith was on a roller coaster. Memories of women who lost
their babies and lives in such circumstances troubled me, and my sister vainly
sought to persuade me to return to hospital, yet as I heard His word my faith
would rise. My husband refused to pick Ikeme’s calls. What would he say to him? He kept treating my blood pressure with drugs at home.
After some days I requested my husband to induce labour, feeling the baby was
now very weak. He did and the pains came
on strongly and frequently by 10pm. He confirmed I was dilating and wanted us
to go to Annunciation hospital Emene. I felt the baby would come on the way and
requested we return to Ikeme’s place. It was pitch dark when we arrived, and
who would meet us but the nurse on duty when I fled from surgery! My husband asked her help. "My wife is in labour!" "Labour?" she exclaimed.Dumbstruck
she simply shone her torch up and down at me: swollen legs and all. Following
us she said not a word as I was wheeled into the labour room. The pains were
intense; my husband carried me unto the delivery couch. Taking her time to
examine me after my husband she was unconvinced and requested to rupture the
membranes. My fears returned when she brought the sphyg to measure my blood
pressure. “Baby believe God!” my husband urged. I turned my arm to have the
pressure gauged, and out came the baby. She was white, but suddenly the nurse
saw her move. The nurse screamed and took over. After much maneuvers and
prayers she began to cry weakly. The placenta came out looking really bad. in excitement the nursecalled Prof Ikeme who urged her to chase everyone out of my room and quickly give me medication. "She will fit any moment from now", he said. But thank God I didn't. When Ikeme saw me the following day he said “This is a miracle. In 47 years of practice I
have never seen this.” Behold, I am
the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me? Jer
32:27(KJV)
Esther works in the records
department of UNTH
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